University of Maryland-College Park Top Questions

I would tell myself to always stay focus and never fall off track. College isnt as easy as everyone said it is but as long as you stay motivated and determined you can succed any any thing you do. College is alot different for High School. Stay ahead and focus on completing school and you can be top of your class.

After I finished college I realized that the career I had always envisioned myself in was not for me. If I could talk to myself as a high school senior, I tell myself to look into as many majors as possible. There were many careers I did not know about that I might have been interested. I now know that I had only been exposed to a handful of careers growing up. When I entered college I thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do and there was no reason to investigate other fields. I wish I had taken the time to go to the career office more often and considered other options. There are so many possibilities why limit yourself at the beginning of your college experience. After college I was unable to get a job in my field. I wish there had been more resources to aid in job placement. I would tell myself to remember that the goal is to begin a career so you need to work on a long term plan as well as your coursework. I would encourage myself to go to job fairs and talk with counselors about the opportunities after college.

"Be thankful you are going to community college first." I would tell my high school self that because I wanted to go straight to a university after graduating high school. Unfortunately, that was not the plan. My plan A was to go to the University of Maryland, instead I did not get accepted into Maryland and I did not get accepted to any of the schools I applied to. I want my high school self to know that even though plan A did not go through, the next four years will be life changing. Just because I was going to a community college, that did not mean I would stay there forever. To my high school self, use your time at Montgomery College to create your Plan B because you will apply to those schools again, but this time you will get into all of them. After, once you enter Maryland, you will be overwhelmed by the amount of opportunities that Maryland has to offer. Knowing what you want will make your transition easier and apply for more scholarships! It won’t be as easy as the scholarship we won for Montgomery College. Other than that, you will be alright.

"Have some self-control," is what I would tell myself if I could. I feel I learned too much too young and got carried away by college. I made so many mistakes due to stontaneity and a lack of self-control: partying too hard, experimenting too much, spending money I didn't have. Living fast left me with nothing but broken relationships and debt. I feel I've done well finding my way from rock bottom, but I still have a long way to go, and if I could sit down with my high school self I would tell him "Just say no." Like they told us in elementary school, during D.A.R.E., "Just say no." I would probably laugh at me. That, or I would be pretty freaked out by the fact that I am talking to myself face-to-face. Still, it never hurts to try.

Everyone doesnt have to like you. While everyone wants to have fun their senior year, colleges look at your senior transcript as well. I wish I would have focused more on academics in order to receive scholarships and better opportunities. Socializing can wait, Talking can wait, parties can wait. Yes I miss highschool at times, I miss old friends at times, but my college experiences make those memories collect cob webs. Highschool was not the end of the world. Walking across that stage made it simply the beginning. Friends come and go, learn from your experiences, soak it all in, save money and LISTEN. The advice my counselors and teachers gave me are forever embedded in my heart and mind. To this day I use some of the advice, believe in all the moral and values and still use the resources they gave me. Never forget who helped you when no one else would. Never forget where you come from, don't bask in it, but don't forget. I love the college life, just wish I was better prepared. I wont stop until I reach my goal. This scholarship can help me do that. Thank You.

Do not worry too much. It's going to be hard to be away from home, but you can do it. Save yourself the tears you cried over being away from your best friend, even thousands of miles apart you guys will be okay, and she'll call once a week to let you know how much she misses you. Try harder to be friends with your roommate. You may never be best friends, but she'll be more willing to forgive how messy you are if you make the effort. Get to know your floormates, they'll be your family for the next year. Stop being so afraid. It's okay to be away from your friends and family, and no one is judging you as much as you think; believe it or not, most people are too busy worrying about themselves to criticize what you're doing. Push yourself in every way possible: study harder, meet more people, join clubs. Stop caring what other people think, at the end of the day you won't be thinking about them, anyway. Get a job as soon as you can. Don't forget to enjoy every minute of it.

Dear Meenhee, You're currently in high school, ready to go off to college. You think you're smart because you get A's without studying much, but you're actually not smart. You were just lucky during your whole high school life. I'm saying this because I know you will struggle academically when you reach college. Please teach yourself how to study. Please make your academics a higher priority than your social life because you have a chance at social life post college anyway. Also, don't just apply to UMD.... Please apply to multiple schools because you're going to wonder where else you could've been accepted to. Another thing, start working! You will come to a financial struggle during your college years, and your parents will not be able to support you financially. So, start saving up! Finally, this is the most important advice. Don't take any science classes or math classes unless you have to. Please choose computer science as your major because if you don't listen to me now, you'll find that computer science is your passion a little too late in your junior year in college. Love, You

My advice to my high school self would be to take advantage of the opportunities that are given. Even if they seem scary, or risky, or maybe something that you wouldn't like, you'll never know until you try it. College has many opportunities, especially for Freshmen. You need to throw yourself into the college experiences and try many different clubs, activities, and classes. You'll be surprised by some of the things you can end up getting involved in. You will have so much fun when you have an open mind about opportunities. You will get to meet so many interesting people, who can change your life.

There are a few things that I would have loved to know in hindsight. The first is definitely the amount of work and the high expectations I am about to dive into. The transition into college was not the hardest, but I do not think that I was prepared to dive straight into it. If I had known to prepare for college more in advanced, particularly, as a high school senior it would have definitely been beneficial to me. Although, Maryland does its best to transition the high school seniors as easily as possible it is just always helpful to know what you will be jumping into ahead of time. Lastly, I wish that I knew to save more money because the cost of college is very overwhelming at times. I take out loans to pay for college, but knowing the debt I will face when I graduate is crippling. I wish I could go back to my high school self and tell myself to save every extra penny that I get because every little bit of money helps, and that maybe a new dress seems great now but those fifty dollars will help in the end.

Dear Past Sam, There's one thing you need to know in order to make it in college: You are a perfectionist. That's right. You can try to deny it, and I know you will, but you're better off accepting it right now. Yes, yes, I hear you. "Perfectionism" is just a way of unfairly spinning "endlessly hard-working". But be honest with yourself. You work so hard, and when you fail to meet your own unrealistic expectations, you feel ashamed and disappointed with yourself. But no one else is punishing you, are they? It's all you. So what does this mean for how you can make it in college? Give yourself a break! Learn your limits. Know that nothing can ever be truly perfect. Don't kid yourself into thinking that you could do more. Taking your insane standards with you to college will only stress you out leave you disappointed. Instead, ditch 'em. You'll join an improv group your first semester and you'll make best friends that will help you knock the perfectionist out of you. It's for the best and you'll feel freer, believe me. You're great, Future Sam